United Nations to scale up assistance to Northern Uganda
(New York: 21 November 2003): Following
the recent visit of Emergency Relief Coordinator Jan Egeland to Northern
Uganda, United Nations agencies have committed to expanding the UN's presence
and activities in northern and eastern Uganda. This consensus emerged after
the Emergency Relief Coordinator discussed the situation in northern and
eastern Uganda with senior colleagues from UN departments, agencies, funds
and programmes, as well as donors. Steps are already underway to
send additional humanitarian aid workers to the north to meet the increasing
emergency needs there.
The situation in the north has worsened
since summer 2002. The number of persons internally displaced by
fighting, and in dire need of humanitarian assistance and protection, has
increased from 600,000 to over 1.3 million, while the districts beset by
conflict have risen from three to eight. Children, in particular,
have suffered enormously. The Lord' Resistance Army had abducted
more than 10,000 children since June 2002, the highest number since the
insurgency began. All children are at risk of being abducted, forced
to fight and commit atrocities, and subjected to sexual violence and sexual
slavery. To escape this fate, tens of thousands of children-"night
commuters"--leave their homes each evening, seeking protection in
towns. In Kitgum and Gulu, for example, the Emergency Relief Coordinator
found that there are 27,000 night commuters. This trend is also reported
in other districts as well.
"This is a war against children. They are abducted, abused and violated," Egeland said.
Despite the dramatic increase in needs, it remains extremely difficult to deliver humanitarian aid outside the main northern and eastern towns without the use of military escorts. The escorts accompany food convoys to camps for displaced persons in northern Uganda. The utter lack of security has made it nearly impossible to maintain a humanitarian presence in these areas, meaning there is no sustainable assistance for health, education or other basic services.
"I urge those concerned to take all possible steps to allow free, unhindered and secure humanitarian access to those in need," the Emergency Relief Coordinator said.
For further information, please call: Stephanie Bunker, OCHA NY, 917 367 5126, mobile 917 892 1679; Elizabeth Byrs, OCHA Geneva, 41 22 917 2653, mobile 41(0) 79 472 4570.